The Essence of Ashtavakra Gita

by Ramesh S. Balsekar

You are not the body which is composed of the five elements. You are that Consciousness which has provided the inert body with the sentience that makes the senses function in regard to their objects. It is sentience which makes the psychosomatic apparatus work as a unit.

You have wrongly identified yourself as the individual, as the doer of all actions that take place through the physical organism, and thereby unnecessarily assume the responsibility for the actions which take place, and thus assume the bondage from which you are seeking liberation.

The words “remain relaxed in Consciousness” form the very basis of the Ashtavakra teaching.

About the Author:

Ramesh S. Balsekar is a disciple of the late Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, a renowned Advaita master. From early childhood, Balsekar was drawn to Advaita, a nondual teaching, particularly the teachings of Ramana Maharshi and Wei Wu Wei. Ramesh has written over 20 books, and discusses the Indian philosophy of Advaita daily in Bombay, with visitors from around the world. The basic concept is that "all there is, is Consciousness"; all actions are happenings, the functioning of the Primal Energy, and not the doing by anyone. Ramesh frames the concepts in the context of daily living, speaking from his experience as a bank president and a family man.